Things to Do When You’re Unemployed

August 29, 2024 JCS Career Center

(Photo by LinkedIn Sales Navigator on Unsplash)

By Karen Hammer

Job loss, whether a layoff or termination, is usually included in the top 10 lists of life’s stressors. To make matters worse, changes in financial status, a frequent outcome of job loss, is on the same list.

A period of unemployment can also result in a gap on your resume, which — although there has been some positive change in employer attitudes about this — can still be an obstacle when you are job hunting.

All, however, is not lost. You can find ways to fill the employment gap in productive ways.

In this second of our three-part series on building skills and credentials while unemployed, we will focus on how to keep getting work while waiting to get a job. (See Also: Boost Your Digital Knowledge Base During Unemployment)

How This Kind of Work Will Help You

If you are between jobs, work outside of traditional jobs can help you in a variety of ways:

It is easier to find a job when you have a job. While it may be logistically more challenging to go through a hiring process when you are working, even in a contract job, employers are more likely to hire a candidate who is already working.

Non-traditional work (except for volunteer work) generates income. Even if the work you’re doing doesn’t fully replace what you earned before you left your last job, it is usually better than not bringing in any earnings.

Flexibility. Because you don’t have to accept every contract, temporary, or freelance assignment that is offered (within reason*), you can choose them based on what criteria are most important to you, like pay, type of work, remote, hybrid, or in-person schedule, or commute. (*If you are working with a staffing agency, and you repeatedly turn down assignments that they offer, they will stop offering.)

Expanding your professional network. Whether you are working somewhere through an agency, freelancing, apprenticing, or volunteering, you will be working with people. Create a plan for building your network through these experiences.

Developing or honing skills. Non-traditional work formats are a great way to gain new skills or improve on skills you already have.

Transitioning to a permanent position with the same organization. The best way to show an employer you would be a great hire is to do great work for them. Working as a contractor, a volunteer, or a freelancer can provide these opportunities.

Trying something new. If you have arrived at a crossroads professionally and want to explore new career paths, non-traditional work experiences can be a great way to do it. Ensure you have identified transferable skills and experiences to demonstrate that you are a good fit for the assignments you’re interested in.

Types of Work You Can Do

I. Temp and Contract Employee Work

According to Robert Half, one of the largest staffing agencies in the world, 64% of employers in the United States planned to increase their use of contract professionals in 2024.

The terms contract employee and temporary employee are often used interchangeably. Both are distinct from the term “independent contractor,” discussed below.

Organizations hire people on contracts or as temps to fill specific needs or alleviate staffing shortages. The positions can be short- long-term, project-based or seasonal, part-time or full-time, in-person, hybrid, or remote.

Contract employees are employed by their organization or the staffing agencies that placed them. They may or may not receive benefits. Contract employees may be paid directly by the employer or the staffing agency placing them in the position. The same is true for people working in “temp” jobs.

Where to find contract and temp work:

Career pages of specific companies.

Searching specifically for contract or temporary jobs on major job websites like indeed.com, simplyhired.com, and ziprecruiter.com, to name a few.

Websites specializing in these jobs, like flexjobs.com (requires a subscription), kellyservices.com, roberthalf.com, and Adecco.com, among many others. You can see a list of agencies from Forbes.com here.

II. Freelance / Independent Contractors

According to techreport.com, there were more than 73 million freelancers in the United States in 2023, and estimates predict that there will be more than 76 million in 2024. There are also hundreds of freelance web platforms.

There are freelance opportunities for most occupations, from accountant to Zoom specialist.

The processes for each platform may vary. For some, freelancers register, and business customers invite them to bid for jobs. In others, businesses post jobs they need to be done, and freelancers bid on them directly. Some of the design platforms have an application process for designers.

Remember that independent contractors are usually responsible for managing their income tax situations. Most businesses that hire this way do not withhold taxes, although they will provide a 1099 form at the end of the year. For more information on the tax implications of freelance work, visit the Internal Revenue Service’s Self-employed Individuals Tax Center.

Top freelance web platforms include Upwork, PeoplePerHour (freelance job listings), PeoplePerHour (register as a freelancer), Fiverr, Guru, 99Designs, and many others.

III. Volunteer Work

Many people think of volunteering as something only students and retirees do. But if you’re unemployed, volunteering can be a great way to keep gaining experience while you look for a paying job. Including:

If you are getting experience, making connections, and creating a gap-closing entry for your resume, you are making good use of your time.

When you volunteer for a nonprofit, you’re contributing while bolstering your qualifications.

Volunteering is a great way to gain experience in a field you are interested in, whether starting your career or looking to transition.

There are numerous ways to find a volunteer opportunity:
- If you have particular organizations that interest you or issues you are passionate about, you can contact the organizations directly, even if they don’t have a volunteer job listing posted.Idealist.org is a great resource for finding volunteer opportunities and internships, identifying organizations of interest, and finding paid jobs in nonprofits.
- Volunteer Match has volunteer opportunities listed that can be filtered based on location.

IV. Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are thriving in 2024, offering opportunities across a wide range of industries and occupations, from skilled trades like plumbing and electrical work to high-demand fields like technology, health care, energy, and advanced manufacturing.

According to the federal apprenticeship office at apprenticeship.gov, the numbers speak for themselves:

In FY 2023, more than 886,000 apprentices were served.
The U.S. had 25,000 active apprenticeship programs.
Since 2021, 7,454 new apprenticeship programs have been launched.

Apprenticeships are a powerful pathway to highly skilled careers. They combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction to prepare workers for success (U.S. Department of Labor).

The Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare administers a health care related apprenticeship program.

There are numerous resources to learn more about apprenticeships and to look for opportunities that might meet your needs:

Apprenticeship USA has a wealth of information about apprenticeships, including an Apprenticeship Finder, where you can look for opportunities based on location, industry, and other criteria. Here is a link to apprenticeship opportunities in the Baltimore area.

You can use the Maryland Apprenticeship Locator to find opportunities throughout the state.

Karen Hammer is a career coach at the Ignite Career Center of Jewish Community Services. Whether you are new to the job market or a seasoned professional, the Ignite Career Center can help you go further and get there faster. Our highly experienced career coaches provide individuals of all backgrounds and abilities with the customized services and tools they need to stand out from the competition.

To learn more, visit ignitecareercenter.com or call 410-466-9200.